2025 ACC Preseason Media Poll: Predicted order of finish, Champions revealed

As training camps begin, the ACC released its predicted order of finish Wednesday afternoon. The conference announced its preseason poll, conducted by a media vote, and Clemson was predicted to become the league champion.

The Tigers were picked first in the ACC preseason poll, receiving 3,083 points from the media vote – including 167 first-place votes out of the 183 ballots cast. Miami came in second and got seven first-place votes. Florida State got four first-place votes, but came in as the No. 7 team in the preseason poll.

SMU and Georgia Tech also received two votes each to win the ACC, while Virginia Tech got one. Here is the full ACC preseason media poll and predicted order of finish.

1. Clemson (167 first-place votes) – 3,083 points
2. Miami (7) – 2,679
3. SMU (2) – 2,612
4. Georgia Tech (2) – 2,397
5. Louisville – 2,370
6. Duke – 1,973
7. Florida State (4) – 1,920
8. North Carolina – 1,611
9. Pitt – 1,571
10. NC State – 1,505
11. Virginia Tech (1) – 1,412
12. Syracuse – 1,381
13. Boston College – 953
14. Virginia – 871
15. Cal – 659
16. Wake Forest – 576
17. Stanford – 426

Clemson won the ACC last season thanks in large part to a breakout season from Cade Klubnik. The Tigers went 10-4 in 2024 and took down SMU in the title game to clinch a spot in the new-look College Football Playoff bracket. The Mustangs also made the 12-team field as an at-large team, giving the ACC two bids.

This year, there’s no shortage of chatter around Clemson. Klubnik is back once again after opting not to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, joining a team that has the most returning production in the country, according to ESPN. The Tigers bring back 80% of their production from last year’s team.

Miami could also be in position to make some noise in the ACC once again this year after some major moves during the offseason. The Hurricanes made the biggest splash in the transfer portal, landing former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck – the No. 1-ranked player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. He joins a transfer class that ranks No. 5 in the country, as well as a Top-15 recruiting class in the nation.

Klubnik and Beck are also part of the reason quarterbacks are front-and-center in the ACC this season. SMU’s Kevin Jennings and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King headline the returning starters, while three touted transfers – Louisville’s Miller Moss, Duke’s Darian Mensah and Florida State’s Thomas Castellanos – are also arriving via the portal.